Millions of voters in seven Indian states are voting in the fifth and final stage of the country's month-long general elections.

The first exit polls, which are banned during the staggered voting process, are expected hours after the polls close Wednesday. Officials will announce the final results Saturday.

Analysts consider the vote a close contest between two main political parties -- the ruling Congress party and the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. Neither party is expected to win enough seats to govern on its own.

Separatists in Indian-controlled Kashmir are holding a two-day strike to protest the elections in the Muslim-majority Himalayan region. They say the vote legitimizes New Delhi's rule of Kashmir, which is claimed in full by both India and Pakistan.

A total of 714 million people were eligible to vote in India, making this election the world's largest exercise in democracy. The polls were staggered for logistical and security reasons. 

Some information for this report was provided by Reuters